China’s Big Five banks boost profits, but margins shrink

BEIJING/SHANGHAI, April 29 (Reuters) – 5 of China’s major state-owned banks have claimed better initially-quarter web gains, assisted by a rebound in the country’s economic climate from the coronavirus pandemic.

But margins – a vital indicator of profitability for banks – shrank practically throughout the board as these continue to be beneath tension from small curiosity costs.

The banking companies have benefited as economic action recovers in China, with the country’s GDP up 18.3% in the first quarter as opposed to the very same quarter last calendar year. study more

Lending however makes up the bulk of the five banks’ earnings, as opposed to their rivals in the West, many of which have massive investment decision banking and securities investing corporations that assisted to travel massive gains in their 1st-quarter earnings. go through much more

Industrial and Professional Bank of China Ltd (ICBC) (601398.SS), , the world’s largest financial institution by belongings, noted a internet income increase of 1.5% in the quarter year-on-12 months.

The Lender of Communications Co Ltd (BoCom) (601328.SS), , Agricultural Bank of China Ltd (AgBank) (601288.SS), and Financial institution of China Ltd (BoC) (601988.SS), followed fit, all logging 1st quarter net income rises of far more than 2%. browse far more [

China Construction Bank Ltd (CCB) (601939.SS), , on Wednesday, also produced higher earnings for the quarter.

However, net interest margins shrank at four of the five banks partly resulting from reforms by the central bank to lower the benchmark loan interest rate.

AgBank did not disclose its first quarter net interest margin, the difference between what banks pay on deposits and earn on loans.

Chinese banks have begun to pull back on lending, amid Beijing’s worries about exuberance in some sectors such as property. read more

The banking regulator has fined lenders for instances where borrowers have funnelled loans meant for other purposes into property. read more

Industry regulator CBIRC said earlier this month that China’s banking industry recorded a 1.5% year-on-year profit growth in the first quarter, while the bad loan ratio dropped to 1.89% in Q1 from 1.92% at the end of 2020.

CCB and ICBC posted flat non-performing loan ratios from the end of the prior quarter, while the other three logged slight falls.

Analysts, however, said that China’s banks face a spike in NPLs once a government-mandated grace period for calling in soured debt expires at the end of this year.

“We would expect a significant increase in the NPL [ratio] when this plan will come thanks,” mentioned Qi Wen, Beijing-centered analyst with the economics and technique unit of Asian Progress Financial institution.

This is extremely challenging for quite a few financial institutions, in particular the rural industrial banking companies, included Qi.

($1 = 6.4674 Chinese yuan renminbi)

Reporting by Cheng Leng, Zhang Yan and Engen Tham Modifying by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Edmund Blair

Our Criteria: The Thomson Reuters Trust Rules.